If you love only those who love you,
what reward is there for that?

If you are kind only to your friends,
how are you different from anyone else?

Matthew 5:46-47
(NLT)
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I’d gone through this phase of being aloof recently--and I don’t mean a few days or weeks, I mean on and off for months. I was stuck in this “woe is me” pattern of thinking because of where I felt life had led me, and I was definitely projecting it outwardly. I could feel it in myself, and I could recognize others recognize it in me.

I’ve been working on that, a lot. I’ve been digging into why I was feeling that way and a lot of it came down to feeling lonely, and a lack of faith in the path God has chosen for me. I was walking it, but I wasn’t doing so with passion and gratitude. I was walking it with an admittedly bitter attitude in a period of low.

I’ve been trying to turn that around and express more gratitude as of late, and I’ve asked God to help me project a vibe of approachability. I think it’s working. I’ve been embracing this concept of being more open to everyone, and I’ve noticed more people openly engaging with me.

These lines from Jesus were a reminder that showing love and kindness toward others first, whether they are your friends and family or strangers and enemies, feels better than not doing so.

Being open feels better than being closed. I can breathe easier. It’s been a physical tension released.